Too many people begin and end their nursing careers on the hospital floor. Don’t get us wrong: Floor nurses are heroes. The world needs them and in great numbers. However, when people are churning out of the profession after just a few years, it begs mentioning that there are tons of other directions you can take a degree in nursing.

Don’t limit yourself to the hospital setting.

In this article, we take a look at just some of the many ways you can use a degree in nursing. As you read, keep in mind that the positions included in this article, though chosen because they are interesting, are not comprehensive. There are literally dozens of ways to use your credential.

Are There Specialized Nursing Degrees?

This is a common misconception. While there are specialty careers in nursing, everyone enters the profession through the same basic door. You get your BSN. You pass the NCLEX. You probably start working in a hospital or doctor’s office.

But while every career starts this way, they don’t have to end there.

For nurses looking to explore new pathways, online nursing programs can be an excellent option to gain advanced skills, pivot into specialized fields, or even transition to leadership roles.

First, how do you pivot out of the hospital?

If you are already licensed as a nurse, you have a great springboard from which to launch into other healthcare careers. That said, your credentials might only take you so far.

To get most alternative nursing placements, you need to acquire an additional certification. You can do this by:

• Identifying what you are interested. We will describe that more in the sections to come. For now, think about what excites you the most about healthcare. Chances are pretty good there are entire careers out there that will allow you to focus only on that.
• Review the certification requirements. Most of the time, getting certified will require a combination of practical experience and classwork, all of which culminate into a big standardized test. While this isn’t anyone’s idea of a party, it isn’t as bad as it sounds either.

And why, exactly, is the bark worse than the bite where certification requirements are concerned? There are a few reasons. For one thing, the educational pathways are generally either low-cost or free.

Someone will pay for them, of course, but not you. Not if your employer is willing to foot the bill at least. Usually, they are.

The other thing? You are usually able to tackle the requirements gradually. It’s not like going back to school. In many cases, you will be able to start working in your career of choice right away, under the condition that you will complete all of the certification requirements within a specific timeframe.

That’s not to say that getting a new certification is cake in the garden on a pretty spring day. It takes time. You will need to learn and work. Aspects of the process may be challenging or even stressful. Still, the barrier to entry isn’t nearly as steep as many people assume.

Now that you know what it takes to get certified in an interesting nursing career path, let’s take a look at some cool jobs to keep in mind.

Flight Nurse

While it is fair to say that all nurses have their share of harrowing experiences, most can’t claim the same level of excitement that flight nurses go through every day on the job. Anyone who lives within a few miles of a hospital knows that patients who can’t be treated in-house are moved at great speeds to another hospital—often by helicopter.

Naturally, these high-risk patients may still need healthcare services, even while they are up in the air. Flight nurses administer this help, working in a high-pressure setting that even an ER on a Friday night can’t compete with.

Forensic Nurse

Forensic nurses work with law enforcement to collect evidence and also administer care to victims of violent crime. Often, they are called in to respond to cases of sexual assault. Naturally, this makes the work incredibly sad, and not for sensitive healthcare workers.

Still, if you are interested in making an important difference in the lives of people who have just experienced incredible trauma, this is a great way to do it. In addition to offering care, forensic nurses also testify in court.

Psychiatric Nurse

Psychiatric nurses are in high demand because the work is challenging—which means lots of turnover—and because the world is increasingly getting better at recognizing and treating mental health conditions—which means lots of demand.

The responsibilities of a psychiatric nurse can vary pretty dramatically depending on placement. From the immersive environment of a psychiatric hospital to the tamer setting of a doctor’s office, there are tons of ways to contribute toward your community’s mental health services.

Conclusion

Remember that these are just some of the many options available. And in addition to certification routes, there are also graduate programs that allow you to take your nursing career to an entirely different level.

Nurse practitioners are able to open up their own practices in many states. They also have the opportunity to specialize even deeper than regular RNs, building their entire career around aspects of the profession that interest them the most.

Bottom line? There are tons of different routes to take as a nurse. Find the options that excite you the most.